


A Strange Place To Belong (With You)

by rivanyan



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Demon AU, M/M, Magic, Thief AU, i'll try not to make angst hahaha, progressively less about stealing lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-25
Updated: 2014-01-24
Packaged: 2018-01-09 20:38:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1150553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivanyan/pseuds/rivanyan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe it's not such a good idea to steal ancient statuettes that may or may not be able to summon a demon that will most definitely fuck up your already messed up life.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	A Strange Place To Belong (With You)

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative chapter title: Why You Shouldn't Give Eren Nice Things

               Eren Jaeger strolled out of the bookstore nonchalantly, a lax smile on his face. He ignored the feeling of someone watching him, definitely the officer who had been guarding the entrance to the store.  It was easy to understand why the woman was suspicious of him; he had strode into the bookstore of a prestigious school in the richest part of town with dirty, ragged clothes that shouted “slum trash”, sticking out like a sore thumb from the crowd of teachers and well-off literature appreciators.  Everything about him was innocent, innocent enough to keep the officer from searching him as he left the store, fortunately.  As he continued walking towards his destination, he fished the old, thick paperback classic and a magnetic contraption, which he had used to demagnetize the security bar, out of his hidden jacket pocket.  He would have to thank Sasha for giving him the magnet that worked wonders, even after knowing what he would use it for. He flipped to the first page of the book, smiling at the prospect of finally being able to enjoy this novel that had long been on his wishlist.

              He wasn't supposed to be doing this; he ran the risk of getting his whole band—himself, Sasha, Jean--discovered and in deep trouble.  They usually stole valuables to get around, since they had no other source of income, but it was always from other people in the slum where they lived, because it was much safer.  The law enforcement there was pitiful, and none of their victims would report them anyway, since what they stole was generally stolen in the first place.  By now, they had stolen their way to the top of many other gangs’ hit lists.  Unlike his previous exploits, Eren had been extremely nervous when he faced this new situation.  Making trouble and pushing the limits was Sasha’s job, and one Sasha was more than enough for Jean and Eren to handle together.  Sasha was actually the whole reason they were in this city; they were forced to flee their previous residence because she had somehow gotten the whole police department on their trail. 

              As he rounded the last corner and walked through the final alley, he expected the same view that he always saw when he returned home: a run-down abandoned building that blended in with the rest of the poor side of the city.  Instead, he found a wall of police cars and officers with their guns trained at an open window, shouting unintelligible orders over a megaphone.  Frantically, Eren tried to find any clue that would give him an idea of what kind of tragedy happened while he was gone.  The window curtains fluttered—it was a sign that Sasha had set.  Pipe, it meant.  Eren slipped back into the darkness of the alley and ran.  That Sasha had gotten herself in trouble yet again was obvious. 

              The pipe was an ancient, rusted iron pipe at the edge of town, wide enough to walk on without worrying about falling over.  It was the only way over a polluted river that had cut deep into the ground below over its countless years. He crossed it and picked his way over a hedge to find pony-tailed Sasha with her mischievous grin plastered on her face and Jean, blue-eyed and so furious Eren thought he could see steam wafting out of his ears. 

              “This idiot over here decided it would be fun to make the price on our heads higher by a million. And now she’s got a whole team of detectives on our trail.” Jean got right to the point, never one to beat around the bush. 

              “Hey, this thing is worth way more than three million! You have no idea how much this would fetch at an auction,” piped Sasha, always optimistic, as she produced a tiny sculpture. “We could get a real house and more with it!”

              Eren took Jean’s side.  “You really think nobody’s going to wonder where we get all the money? Especially now that the media is broadcasting this all over the place?” 

              “You’re assuming that someone would be willing to buy that, which won’t even happen because people freak when stolen goods like that show up.  The people who have enough money will be worried about getting the law on their backs,” Jean said matter-of-factually. 

              With Sasha’s talent with gadgets, it was a wonder how she could be so stupid without obfuscating at all. After the theft of anything that was worth that much, three orphans suddenly purchasing anything expensive was going to be glaringly conspicuous. The last time this had happened, it was because Sasha accidentally left a hair clip, of all things, on the site of one of their grand plans.  That one clip, adorned with a unique design, pointed all fingers towards Sasha, who could pass off as an ordinary schoolgirl, and often did so.  Therefore plenty of townsfolk, when prompted for information by the cops, easily gave her name.  Luckily, the infringement of law wasn't all that major—a relatively petty theft in a rather disorganized metropolis—so simply moving to a different city had solved the problem. 

              “Whatever happens, we’re going to have to relocate again. Trost seems like the best place to go. I have some useful acquaintances there.”

               Eren sighed.  Jean’s word was law. He was the one with connections, in charge of making deals with the shadowy figures of the bazaar, or the “black market,” as common people called it.  He had such a large network, he didn't have to be stuck with them. He stayed anyway, however, and whether it was out of pity, guilt, or genuine friendship, Eren could not tell.  But he and Sasha depended on Jean for his creative ideas. 

              “We better get moving. There’s no point in sitting around waiting to get caught. Let’s just grab some quick necessities and go,” Jean stood up and began to leave, but then turned around. “Actually, you guys just stay here. I’ll take care of it. You guys are both pretty dead by now, considering your crazy day.” He glared at Eren.  Somehow he knew what Eren had been up to, but he didn't want to think about it.

              “This is so ironic. Jean just went off to break into our own house. Illegally. Hope he doesn't run into the po-po or something,” Sasha broke into his thoughts, rambling light-heartedly. 

               The po-po. He assumed that she meant the police.  He wasn't in a mood for conversation, but he managed a terse, “So where’d you get that anyway?”

              “Oh, the art exhibition that’s this week. It’s an international treasure or something; heard about it at the school.  Apparently it’s a few hundred years old and worth a heck of a lot of money.” 

              “Right.” Eren was bored and now fumed over the thought of having to leave behind yet another place he had called home.  Getting accustomed to new places was always a pain. He took the time he had to sulk and vent his feelings inside his head.  If things got any worse, he didn't want his judgment to be clouded because he was incredibly angry.

But things always got worse.

              “Hey! Get over here,” Jean’s voice called from behind the hedge. “We need to borrow a car and get moving. They’re actively searching for us.”

              “Alright! I’m on it,” Sasha piped up, glad to have something to do. She could never really sit down in one place for a while. 

              They ran in circles around the slum, eventually finding a black compact car that would easily blend into the masses of cars that would crowd the streets at Trost.  Sasha “borrowed” the car swiftly, which really meant breaking into it with a bobby pin and paperclip.  Jean drove, as always.  He was only seventeen, but he could pass for twenty if he had to, and he had a fake license that listed him as nineteen—credits to Sasha for that. 

              Their road trip started off fine.  They raised no suspicion and didn't expect to get stopped or caught again.  They were just some teenagers who took their parents’ car out for a spin.  Eren gazed out the back window, observing other travelers.  Somebody just got pulled over for speeding, and a gutsy idiot in a green SUV was tailgating them at seventy-five miles per hour.  It was probably some crazy dad going on a trip with his family.  He could imagine the guy’s poor spouse nagging him to stop being such a dangerous driver. Parents and a family.  He wished he had that much to live for.  He dozed off dreaming about what he could have, but didn't. 

              An explosion of pain in his head jolted him awake.  “What the…. Whoa! Slow down!” he managed,  before Jean swerved left, making Eren crash into Sasha, who let out a squeak in surprise. She fell into gaping quiet.

             “What the fuck? What the fuck yourself! You could have told me that SUV was tailing us!” Jean hollered above the cacophony of different cars honking at them as they zig-zagged their way through the light traffic. Eren looked back and took some time to figure out exactly what was going on. Sure enough, that green SUV that had been tailgating them was now chasing them at full speed—only now, there were two police cars flanking them as well. They sped onto the ramp that exited the highway to Trost, no doubt a small, peaceful suburb.

              Jean only grunted in return instead of reprimanding him; his reflection in the rear-view mirror showed his brows furrowed in concentration and eyes glued to the road.  He continued his reckless driving streak, taking sharp turns at a breakneck pace, desperately trying to throw off their pursuers.  Eren was sitting there, ready to pull out tufts of his disheveled hair if his motion sickness got any worse.  It was a good thing that it was well past the average bedtime and there weren't any cars or people out on the street. 

             After a few minutes of this wild chase and putting some distance between them and their pursuers, Jean spoke up again. “We need to split up to confuse them.  We’ll go by foot and meet up by Petro, okay?” He gave a glance at the dark gas station they whizzed by. “Corner of South Brook and Placentia. If I’m not there by twelve, go figure something out and don’t forget to remember me for my gallant exit from your lives.” Jean punctuated his new plan with a bit of his signature sarcasm and a dark chuckle that brought a little bit of comfort to Eren.  At least Jean wasn't shaken by their situation.  He pulled over and dropped the two off quickly, before speeding away again.

             Eren hadn't really processed Jean’s words. He stood there on the curb thinking about what he had just heard until Sasha grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a closed store.

            “What are you just standing there for? Come on. Let’s get to the station and wait for him.” She tugged again, noticing his worry. “No use worrying about stuff we can’t help with. He gave us a simple plan. Let’s go.”  The optimistic girl made it sound so easy and simple. There was absolutely nothing simple about their problem, which was all her fault, and she was here, pretending nothing was wrong? Eren bit back a sharp retort, not letting his anguish show on his face out of habit.  There wasn't much he could control right now, but he was an excellent liar with an unbeatable poker face. That was why he was the one who went out and stole things. The brawn behind the two brains.  So he controlled the only thing he could and built a wall around his emotions as he followed Sasha towards the station.  She had lapsed into uncharacteristic silence.

             They waited behind the station for what seemed like the better part of an hour. It melted into another hour, two more, three more, until Eren lost track of time.  It was near morning from what he could tell, and still Jean was nowhere to be seen.  Sasha was still strangely silent, but she cracked a smile when she noticed him watching. “It’s past twelve. We should find a place to stay.  Maybe we’ll just hang around for a bit to see if he’ll show up,” she offered, standing up and leading the way again.  Eren followed mutely. 

             The events after that were a blur.  Eventually they had given up on looking for abandoned buildings that were common in slums but near impossible to find in decent residential areas.  They settled in an old shed that night, with Eren pondering just what they were supposed to do next.  Jean was their leader, and they were lost without him.  But how were they supposed to find him?  When the next day’s wanderings turned up no signs of Jean, they only grew more desperate.  He debated just turning himself in to get out of the mess.  On the evening of that day, he questioned Sasha about it.

            “We should,” she hesitated before continuing, “focus on finding Jean.  Actually, I have an idea. I’ll be back soon.” Her mood lifted for the first time that day, and she broke out in a run. “”Stay here!” She yelled over her shoulder, when Eren was just about to run after her and ask her exactly what her plan was.  He thought it was a good sign that she had returned to her normal self for a little. 

            Sasha returned an hour later holding a bag from what was probably a local convenience store.  She tossed it to him along with the sculpture she had stolen.  “You’re a pretty good artist right?” She grinned. “They’re actually not broadcasting this theft at all. The public doesn't know much about it.  I don’t think anybody’s going to notice if we give a fake back.”

            “You want me to make a replica of this?“ Eren wasn't exactly sure how he could pull that off.  Sure, he knew a little bit about art from the books he’d read, but he had never done an actual sculpture. 

            “Yup! I mean, you’re always reading, so you have to know something about it, right? At least one of your books must have mentioned art forgery or something like that.  Then we can do a ransom or something.”

            Eren cringed.  Another one of Sasha’s plans.  She always left so many holes and unanswered questions in them, holes so big that he thought planes could fly through them.  How exactly would they initiate a ransom? How were they even sure that Jean had gotten caught?

           “Why the face?” Sasha broke into his thoughts.

           “Sorry, just tired,” he halfheartedly excused himself.  Even Sasha could see through that one.  “I think I’ll make a trip to the library.”  He got to work anyways, because he needed something to do even if it wasn't a great plan.  He examined the sculpture as he walked towards the library that he had passed as he looked for Jean yesterday.  It wasn't all that small, actually; about five inches in each dimension.  It was carved from deep mahogany cherry wood, the same that Sasha had bought. 

            The figure itself did not seem to be anything special, just a winged figure  with features blurred by age curled over its knees on a pedestal base. Eren rubbed the worn curve of the spine with his thumb as he nodded in return to a light greeting the library worker at the door, finding the action somewhat soothing. This late in the day, the only visitors were wrinkled, old people who glared at him as he passed.

            For a small town, this library was rather large, but Eren found himself in a little alcove on the second floor that housed the woodwork art books. He glanced around a little warily at the sole patron before settling down against a shelf and pulling out a book.

            After several thick volumes had joined the thinner, simpler books he had read first, Eren found himself nodding off into Wood For the Soul. If Sasha wanted a replica made of the stupid statue then she should find the necessary information herself, goddammit. What was she doing right now anywa-

Oh.

Jean.

           Eren guiltily jerked his head up, body jolting as his sleep-deprived mind remembered his friend and the events that had led to his current situation. Recalling Jean's last words of bravado, Eren flinched backwards, cutting himself on page 92 that had been caught in his grip.

           “Fuck, owww,” he moaned as he pitched forward, dramatically clutching his thumb and kicking the offending book away.

           He shook his head, giving an embarrassed laugh as he caught sight of the small statue facing him on the floor where he had propped it earlier. “What are you looking at?” He reached out and smoothed his thumb over the blank, carved eyes. There was a funny pulling sensation as he drew back, and Eren belatedly realized he had smeared some blood on the artifact. Annoyed at his beginner level blunder, he stretched out his clean hand to wipe off the drying blood. 

          A second later, a he was slammed with full-body numbness, a strange dragging sensation in his veins causing the blood to pound in his ears. Eren gasped for breath, a hand reaching up to claw at his throat, the ripping feeling stealing his empty words and bleeding into his fading vision. It swallowed him, and then there was no more.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully I've started something I can finish well hahahaha  
> Your thoughts are most welcome.  
> And the statue ate his blood.


End file.
